While She Was Walking to the Basement
by Shipper Friendly
Summary: Two agents bully our favorite agent on her way to the basement. Scully can't handle it and breaks down. Fluffy, a little angsty...romance-y a little. MSR


**Whoa. This was a six page long one-shot....that just MIGHT be a record for me!! Consider this an early 5-month Phile-iversary for me (yes, I AM one of those sad people who celebrate my anniversaries for my favorite show....April 5th will be the 5-month for me!)**

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It was a Friday afternoon and Agent Scully was walking down the FBI hallway from her lunch break. It wasn't a special Friday, just a normal one. That is, until a few agents decided to bug Scully.

She was on her way to the elevator. While most people went up to their offices, she did not. She went down. Down to the basement. After a while, she got used to it. But today, she was embarrassed. She could feel two agents watching her as she waited for the elevator.

"What do you want?" She asked, already annoyed.

"Oh nothing, ice queen. Just wanted to say hello. That's a nice skirt you got there…" Agent Refler commented. Scully was in a basic tan pencil skirt. Nothing special. It went down to her knees. She could feel something bad coming up.

"Why don't you pull it up a little for all of us? All the guys would really enjoy it." Agent Pross reached down and tried to hitch up Scully's skirt. Refler laughed. Scully didn't. In fact, she shoved him against the hallway wall. The elevator doors opened and Scully boarded.

"Touch me again and I'll make sure you pee through a catheter for the rest of your life." She seethed. She tried to close the elevator doors, but Refler and Pross caught the doors just before.

"Don't think you can just leave with out us, babe. We got loads more where that came from." Pross smirked. It took all of Scully's self control not to deck him right then and there. She settled for ignorance.

"Ahh, so I see you're going down to the basement with Spooky. Mrs. Spooky's goin' home, isn't she?" Refler laughed as he noticed the floor Scully chose. "She thought she'd move UP on the FBI ladder but really she moved down to the bottom floor!" Refler and Pross laughed at that. Scully just closed her eyes and ignored them.

"A woman could never gain FBI respect, doncha know that, Mrs. Spooky? That's like an ant trying to defeat the human race. And that creepy partner of yours won't help any." Pross continued to bully Scully.

"Yeah, you know Pross…I hear he's looking for a new partner. Apparently not even FBI's hottest agent is good enough for him. He's so superior. Who would like her anyways? He's always complaining about her scientific knowledge, her skeptic ways and how annoying she is. He's been trying to get rid of her for the past two years." The elevator doors opened at the basement level. Scully ran out, but unfortunately Pross and Refler followed. _What's their problem?_

"I hear he never liked her to begin with. I mean, looks can be deceiving. If I were him I would replace Ice Queen with that Fowley chick. At least she doesn't second guess every move he makes." Refler said. By now, Scully was close to tears. Of course, working with Mulder had brought her some teasing but it was never this bad. She felt like crawling into a hole and hiding from everyone.

"Refler, you're right. But you know I do hear that he's replacing Agent Smart Aleck with Agent Fowley. Which is good. Everyone liked her better anyways." Both agents continued talking like she wasn't there. After what seemed like years, Scully reached the office.

"Leave me alone and go to hell!" Scully yelled, making the mistake of turning towards them.

"Ooooh! Look at that, Pross! Ice Queen is CRYING? Have we hurt you, your highness? Why don't you go cry to your daddy? Oh right….he's dead. What about your sister? Oh right, she's dead too!" Refler and Pross were cracking up by now, but Scully found none of this funny. She wanted to beat them to a pulp, but she knew she'd be fired or worse if she did. Instead, she entered the basement office with her head down and tears in her eyes. But in true Dana Scully fashion, she acted like nothing was going on.

Luckily, she had made it in before Mulder did. She had a few minutes to compose herself. But even though her usual rock like exterior held her together in the worst of situations, for some reason it wouldn't work today. The teasing phrases ran through her mind over and over again.

_Everyone liked her better anyways…._

This whole time Scully thought she'd been pretty well liked in the FBI. She prayed that they were just giving her a hard time.

_What about your sister? Oh right, she's dead too!_

This was a hit below the belt. Why would they go there? To bully someone is one thing but to mention deceased family members was just cruel…

_He's been trying to get rid of her for the past two years…_

This comment really got to her. Mulder would never say that to anyone, would he? She kept reminding herself that it was all just teasing. But the tone of their voices was convincing. Or maybe Scully was just being uncharacteristically gullible.

_I do hear that he's replacing Agent Smart Aleck with Agent Fowley…_

If this were to happen, Scully didn't know what she'd do. Fowley as a replacement? It made her sick just to think it. How did Refler and Pross know about Fowley and Mulder? Did Mulder actually tell them this?

The phrases echoed over and over again. Were they true? Did Refler and Pross actually talk to Mulder? Did Mulder complain about her? Was she being replaced?

She heard a door open. By now, Scully's head was on her desk, resting on her arms. Her face was turned to the door. When she saw Mulder walk in, she faced the other way.

"Hey Scully, you okay?" He asked through a mouthful of Coke.

"I'm fine." She croaked.

"I saw Refler and Pross in the hallway when I was walking down here. What were they doing?" Mulder let the crack in her voice slide. Maybe she had a sore throat…

"I don't know." There was the crack in her voice again. Something was definitely up. Mulder could tell. He knew his partner better than that.

"Scully, what happened?" He squatted down so he was eye to eye with her. Well, at least head to head.

Scully shook her head 'no'.

"Scully, come on. How bad can it be?"

Scully looked up. She saw the concern in his eyes grow as he looked at her distained face. "Pretty bad." Tears came back to her eyes against her strong will. Mulder was taken aback. It had to be terrible if Scully was this close to tears. She usually had such a strong personality and held it in. What did those agents do to her…?

"Scully, please tell me what happened." He begged. His legs got uncomfortable, so he pulled his office chair over to the side of hers. She shook her head. _You don't get away that easily, Scully…_

Mulder pulled her chair out with little effort. He swiveled it so they were face to face. Scully looked up pitifully and hopelessly. It broke Mulder's heart.

"It was nothing. I'm not even upset." Mulder felt for her. She was trying so hard to keep this hard exterior. She needed to let loose a little. Just once.

"Scully, I'm not that dense. I can see that you are upset. Tell me so I can go beat up Agent Pross and Refler." He was ready to go on his knees if that's what it took to get her to fess up.

"I don't want to."

"Scully, please don't be stubborn. You're upset. That's making me upset. I want to know what's wrong."

"Just leave me alone! For once, okay?! I'm sick of you always trying to get me to open up! Just let me be, okay? Maybe I don't want to talk to you. Maybe you _should _replace me…" Scully's outburst ended with her standing up and trying to walk out of the office.

"Scully! How could you even….that doesn't even make sense! Why would I replace you?" Mulder grabbed her wrist. Scully turned around and for a moment the world stood still for both of them. What would she do? Would she get angrier?

"I'm sorry." She said quietly. Her bottom lip began to tremble. "I didn't mean it."

Mulder stepped forward and wrapped her in a big bear hug.

"It's alright, you don't have to apologize. Just tell me what happened." He didn't let her go. She didn't want him to.

"It was really nothing. Refler and Pross were just bullying me a little."

"Scully, I know you. You wouldn't be this upset over a little bullying."

"So maybe it was a little more than bullying."

"Tell me about it." He sat down in his chair and put Scully in hers directly opposite from his. He was holding on to her arms still. Scully took a deep breath and began.

"Refler commented on my skirt. I knew it wasn't serious, so I tried to ignore it. But then Pross…he tried to hitch up my skirt because he-he said the guys would enjoy it more." Mulder's jaw clenched, but he knew to keep quiet on the matter until she was done. "I didn't like that so I shoved him up against the wall." At this, Mulder smiled a little. _That's my girl. _"But they followed me into the elevator and started talking as if I wasn't there just to bug me."

"What'd they say?" Mulder urged.

"They called me 'babe' and 'Mrs. Spooky'. They said things like how a woman could never gain respect in the FBI and how I was moving down the ladder instead of up. Then they, uh…they told me you were looking for a new partner. They said you complained to them about my skepticism and how annoying I was. They said that I wasn't good enough for you because you were too superior and that you should replace me with Fowley. That's not even the worst of it. Before I came in the office, I told them to go to hell. I had been trying to ignore them the whole time, you know? I couldn't let them bother me like that! But then they saw my eyes and I guess they were watery because….they said 'Why don't you go cry to your Daddy? Oh right…he's dead.' And then they did the same with Melissa. How do you think I feel right now? I'm used to being ridiculed by my peers. I know why I am and I accept it. But this time it got to me. I shouldn't have let it…but it did. And now I feel pathetic explaining to you what happened while crying and-and-"

By now, tears were rolling down Scully's cheeks. It took all she could not to start sobbing in to Mulder's shoulder. Mulder interrupted her mid-sentence right here.

"Scully, I need you to listen to me and listen to me closely. Everything they said was a lie, okay? They're just trying to get to you. Do not listen to a word they say. It's all a lie." Scully nodded, still crying.

"I feel so stupid, Mulder." Mulder couldn't stand this anymore. He leaned close and hugged Scully tightly. She cried into his shoulder. "It's not true is it? You're not looking for a replacement, are you?" Scully didn't lift her face. She was too afraid to see his eyes and know the answer before it came out of his mouth.

"Scully, I think that answer is pretty obvious. Even if I tried to find a replacement, I'd be too busy comparing them to you to know if they were even worthwhile." Mulder pulled away from her and held on to her shoulders with his hands. Scully kept her head down. "And if anyone tries to convince you otherwise, I want you to punch them in the face."

Scully laughed a little at this. "There's that lovely smile! I've been missing it! And Scully…I can promise you something."

"What?" Scully lifted her head.

"I'll never leave you or replace you by choice. And I'll always stand up for you if I can." Mulder let go of her shoulders. Suddenly, Scully felt guilty.

"I'm sorry for freaking out, Mulder. You didn't have to comfort me."

"You have nothing to be sorry for you. I know for a fact that if the moment arose then you would do the same thing. And if anyone hurts my Scully, they might not live to see the end of the day."

"_Your_ Scully?" Mulder rolled back to his desk and began to 'work'. Scully had a skeptical look on her face and hadn't yet moved from her spot.

"Hmm?" Mulder looked up from his 'work' as if he had no idea what he said. Truth was, it just kind of came out. He wasn't really aware of how naturally it happened.

"You called me 'your Scully'. I'm not sure if this is sweet or kind of territorial and creepy." Scully rolled back in front of her desk.

"Scully, take it as a compliment. It means I care for you." Mulder smiled cheekily in Scully's direction and she couldn't fight the blush sneaking on to her face.

"Thank you, I guess. But don't expect me to go around calling you 'my Mulder' just because I care for you." She said this nonchalantly, but both of them knew that she meant it with feeling.

"Thank you, Scully. I take that as the most endearing complement I could ever receive." Mulder said, genuinely thankful. He'd always known that Scully cared for him to some degree, but it was nice to hear her say it out loud.

"You're welcome. And, just for the record, I'll never leave you or replace you either." Scully smiled. Mulder's heart swelled with pride and joy.

"Scully, you just made my day."

"Mulder, that's my job."

"I don't think you get paid for making my days."

"No, I get paid for the extra work we do every once in a while."

"Ahh, Scully. This is why I love ya." Scully's eyes almost bulged out of her head, but Mulder didn't notice. He didn't even stop working. He acted like no big admittance just happened. She took his lead and did the same. Who couldn't love Scully? She was just this dam kind of person. She held it all in until finally the wall broke down to those who tried hard enough and she had to let it all loose.

"Love ya too, Mulder." It wasn't out of pity from his outburst, no. It was the truth. Who couldn't love Mulder? He was just this big teddy bear type of guy who could make anyone smile. Well, almost anyone.

They acted easy going about it, but little did they both know the thoughts that were going through the other's mind…

_Oh. My. God. Did he just say what I just thought he said? He loves me! Okay…calm, Dana…calm…_

_OH MY GOD! This is, like, my dream come true! She just said 'Love ya too' as in LOVE! I need to tell the boys about this…oooh Byers and Langley will be so happy for me! Hopefully Frohike isn't too jealous! This is EPIC! Eeeeeeh!_

As you can tell, neither of them would get over this small exchange for quite a while. And if one of them had the audacity, maybe it would turn into a relationship.

Maybe…

Eventually.

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**I had a little trouble with where to end it. I hope you know that the end was definitely MEANT to be OOC! I know Mulder probably doesn't think like that.....all the time.**


End file.
